Tom Scarritt

High gas will drive changes

No one wants to pay more for gasoline. No one wants to pay more truces.

A majority of Americans, though, say they would support a higher federal true on gasoline if it helped reduce our depen­dence on imported oil or reduce global warning.

Those findings, from a recent New York Times/CBS News poll, could be the foundation for a real energy policy in this coun­try. What we have now is an un­declared but consistent policy that ls leading us in the wrong direction. That policy, says Car and Driver editor Csaba Csere, is simple: "Keep energy as cheap as possible for as long as possi­ble."

That leads us to seek oil wher­ever we can get the lowest price, without regard to what that does to our national security. It leads us to burn all the fuel we can find, without regard to what that does to our environment It ta1ces away much of the incen­tive to be more efficient

When pollsters posed their question purely as a tax issue, 85 percent of the respondents preferred the present policy. They said they would oppose an increased gasoline tax. The re­sults changed dramatically, though, if the true would en­hance our independence and our environment Taxes for those purposes receive 55 and 59 percent support.

We know we have a problem. Even before President Bush made our oil addiction a part of his State of the Union address, Americans were concerned about the ill effects of that ad­diction.

Knowing we have a problem, though, is not enough to curb our consumption. Even shocks such as the spike in gas prices after Hurricane Katrina.sparked only limited interest in smaller cars or alternatives such as hy­brids, carpools or mass transit.

We need a solution that is as big and as lasting as the prob­lem. Columnist Thomas Fried­man, writing about The New York Times poll, said: "The En­ergy Question is the big strategic issue of our time, overtaking 9/U and the war on terrorism." The issues are related, of course, as oil revenues finance enemies of democracy.

We have tried other ways of reducing consumption, such as encouraging mass transit and requiring car makers to meet fuel efficiency standards. This newspaper supports both those initiatives. But neither has proved strong enough to change our behavior.

There is no magic bullet. Peo­ple are not burning to ride buses, if only they were more available. The car ma1cers are not hiding some secret high­mileage technology they will bring out if the Corporate Aver­age Fuel Economy standards are raised high enough. Progress in cutting consumption will be in­cremental, and it will be market driven.

High gasoline prices in Europe have affected both tech­nology and consumer choices. A higher gasoline tax could have the same effect here, and it could be offset by other tax breaks to keep low-income workers from bearing too much of the burden.

Moving away from our cheap­at-any-cost approach to energy policy in this country is a big step, and it will involve some sacrifices. It should be carefully debated, so we come up with a strategy that really works. A large number of Americans, it now appears, are willing to con­sider a higher gasoline true as part of that strategy.

Tom Scarritt is editor of The News. His e-mail address is

~t.scarri.tt@bhamnews.com.

«he lirmingham NewJ

Cartoons needlessly Sunday B MarchJ, 2006 Insult Muslims / 6B Editorials 28 My Tum 28

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Despite teITorism ties, UAE is an ally -----

By BLAKE PRITCHETT

When Attorney General Alberto Gonzales stopped in Birming­ham recently, he predictably

Alabama native and UAB graduate Blake Pritchett is a resP.arch analyst at the C-enter for International Trade and Seatrity. E­mail: dblakep@uga.e.dlL

argued that the decision to allow Dubai Ports World (owned by the United Arab Emirates) to ta1ce over thei>perations of six major ports in the United Stateswas vetted through the normal Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States process that considered a variety of concerns regarding U.S. port security.

allowing the deal to occur. ·Alabama's congressional delegation, which tilts heavily Republican, is leaning toward opposition. The proposed plan does not impact operations at the Port of Mobile, but it is still important for Alabama law­makers, the media and the public to un­derstand what is at sta1ce in the Dubai deal and how it relates to our homeland security.

to UAE's past connections to terrorism'.'" The UAE has been suspected of serving as a transfer point for illicit shipments of nuclear material~ to Iran, North Korea and Llbya. The Federal Bureau oflnves­tigation claims UAE financial networks were used in a money-laundering scheme to finance some of the 9/11 hi­jackers. The UAE was one of only three

Despite this, the latest polling shows 64 petcent of Americans are opposed to The main points of contention relate ► See UAE, Page 8B

UAwelcomes cigarette makers to campus ByAlAN BLUM

More than 40 years after U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry, an Alabamian, publlshe~ the landmark report "Smoking and Health," the toll ta1cen by tobacco is greater than ever.

The 1964 indictment of cigarettes as a principal cause of lung cancer and other diseases should have marked the beginning of the end of the Marl­boro Man. But far from heading off into the sun- _ set, the tobacco industry has more than met the challenge of keeping America smoking. The sad result is that cigarette smoking remains the na­tion's No. 1 avoidable health problem, accounting for 4401000 deaths a year.

In Alabama alone, annual deaths from ciga­rette-related diseases such as emphysema, heart attack, stroke and lung cancer total 7,600, more _ than all the deaths from AIDS, illegal drugs, al­cohol, motor vehicle accidents, homicides and suicides combined. Among all states, Alabama trails only Kentucky and Missis­sippi in the percentage of men who smoke (29 percent). In the 18-24 age group, more young women are lighting up than men. Overall, 25 percent of the state's 4.5 mil-lion population smokes, compared with the national average of 20 percent.

And we're paying a price: Ala­bama's Medicaid expenditures for smoking-related illness cost trucpay­ers well more than $200 million last year; annual lost productivity due to smoking now approaches $2 billion.

On the other side of the ledger, last year Altria, parent corporation of Philip Morris USA, the maker of Marlboro, earned more than $5 billion in profit, putting it near the top of the Dow Jones average. Forty percent of all cigarettes sold are Marlboro, more than the next seven brands combined.

So who is still coughing up more than $4.50 a pack in Alabama, or more than $1,600 a year for a 20-cigarettes-a-day addiction? Those with the least education and lowest incomes are most likely to light up: 40 percent of individuals who lack a high school diploma smoke, compared to just more than l O percent of those with a college degree. Minority groups are especially hard hit

► See Cigarette, Page 88

Alan Blum, M.D., is director of the University of Alabama C-enter for the Study of Tobacco and Society and the Gerald Leon Wallace Endowed Chair in Fami.ly Medicine. E-maiL· ablum@cchs.ua.edu.

NEWS ILLUSTRATION/ MARK BAGGETT

Mentally disabled Alabamians· waiting By ELLEN GILLESPIE

Imagine the predicament of an older widow, unable to lift her middle-aged son who has

mental retardation, or to have any peace about where he may live once she is gone.

In a lawsuit ffied in 2000, Su­san J. vs. Riley, Alabamians with mental retardation and their families are seeking critical serv­ices for which they have been on waitipg lists for many years. Many parents of people with mental retardation are older and can no longer meet the physical and mental demands of provid­ing round-the-clock care for a dependent adult.

Alabama's Department of Mental Health and Retardation acknowledges that more than 1,400 people with mental retar­dation are on the department's

· waiting list for services. Now, six years into the lawsuit

that seeks to obtain needed services, Attorney General Troy King has moved a second time to have the suit dismissed, claiming the plaintiffs do not have a right to sue. He argues a lawsuit is not necessary, and that a federal judge should not tell the state what to do.

In an ideal world, the attorney general would qe right.

In an ideal world, Alabamians with disabilities would not have languished for years on a wait­ing list while receiving no serv­ices. No lawsuit would have been necessary if Alabama had met the needs of some of our most vulnerable citizens and their families.

But we do not have an ideal, much less adequate, system of care in our state. Adequate funding to meet the needs of this population has never been made available. Department of Mental Health and Mental Re­tardation leaders know the dire

► See Waiting, Page 8B

Ellen Gillespie, Ph.D., is executive director of the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program based at the University of Alabama. E-mail: Bgillespie@adap.ua.e.du.

Choose to make the grade, make a cliff erence

DeMeco Ryans

Moving along

By DeMECO RYANS

Life is funny. It changes in ways you don't expect and at times you don't anticipate. Take this essay, for exam­

ple. As a football player for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide, I've been asked to talk with lots of reporters for lots of sto­ries. Most of the time, I didn't mind. It goes along with the territory of playing for a

DeMeco Ryans, a recent University of Alabama cum laude graduate, was a consensus All-American linebacker for the Crirnson Tide and was defensive MVP of the 2006 Cotton Bowl

Mass transit is rosing its legislative torch-bearer with the retirement of state Rep. George Perdue, says editorial writer Eddie Lard. 2B

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John Edwards

school with such rich tradition and pas­sionate fans.

However, I was most excited to have the chance to write a piec~ that not only re­flects on my career but, hopefully, points to some posftive aspects of college athletics and college life that don't always ma1ce the sports pages. And in keeping with past me­dia interviews, if I can offer any words that might serve to motivate high school stu­dents to make good choices about their fu­tures, then I'm all over that.

Wmning the NCAA Top VITI award brought honor to me, my family and my university, but it also gave me a voice, a platform to talk about somP. other impor­tant things. My college experience- tack-

Running or not?

ling my coursework, competing for the Crimson Tide, trying to give something back to my community- hasn't left much time to reflect. And while it's not yet clear where God may lead me next, it is clear that many people have helped me get to this point I wanted to ta1ce this opportu­nity to say thank you to some of those who have helped me along the way and to en­courage those who may read this - espe­cially students - to always strive for your personal best, whatever that may be.

That's one of the things my mom em­phasized when I was growing up. "Do your best. Work hard. Take advantage of the

► See Make, Page 88

Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, who ran for vice president as a Democrat in 2004, is roaming around again, with2008 in mind, writes columnist Georl!! [~ rfB~

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88 ♦ The Birmingham News COMMENTARY Sunday, March 5, 2006

CIGARffiE: Makers recruit UAstudents ► From Page 18

A front-page story in The News on Jan. 26 re­ported that African-Americans are far mote likely than other racial groups to develop lung cancer even if they smoke the same amount.

Why, then, did the University of Alabama roll out the red carpet last month for the Marlboro man, in the rotunda of the journalism school? Amid the College of Communication and Infor­mation Sciences Hall of Fame, which honors great men and women of Alabama such as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Helen Keller, 10 job recruiters from Philip Morris USA hosted a catered reception for some two dozen students to tout the benefits of working for America's No. l cigarette manufacturer.

If hired as summer interns or full-time territory sales managers, these future University of Ala­bama graduates, who themselves are highly un­likely to smoke, will be working to reinforce the nicotine addiction of countless young, poor and less-educated Alabamians.

The lead recruiter of the group, UA alumna Tif­fany Elliott, spoke eloquently about Philip Morris' core values, integrity and social responsibility. Nor did she deny that cigarettes cause Jung can­cer and a host of other diseases. "We're very hon­est about what we do," she told me. "We know the product we have causes harm. We haven't always been honest about that. Our culture has definitely changed." And she was most adamant that "we don't want to pull in children."

groups. At last month's Career Day, the company was one of just two out of more than 100 to hav~ its logo prominently prin_ted in the job fair's pro­gram and to be given special thanks by the uni­versity.

Barred from Career Day

The Philip Morris recruitment brochure dis­tributed at the school highlights its Youth Smok­ing Prevention campaign, which portrays ciga­rettes as strictly an adult custom that parents should discuss with their children. But every pa­rent already knows that teenagers seek rebellious and risk-taking ways to reject authority, so such a campaign may make smoking even more appeal­ing to young people.

Perhaps this special relationship can explain why r was barred by a UA administrator from ob­serving this year's Career Day, at which both Philip Morris USA and the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. were given prominent space to meet and greet hundreds of Alabama students.

Over the past 30 years, during the course of my research on the tobacco industry, I have attended and studied hundreds of events in all 50 states that have been sponsored in whole or in part by cigarette companies. The stepped-up involve­ment of Philip Morris on the University of Ala­bama campus confirms findings of my published research, namely that cigarette manufacturers have succeeded in forging close ties to academia as a means of assuring the future strength of cig­arette sales in the face of medical admoni.tions against smoking.

Nonetheless, at least one UA student at the re­ception supports the company's approach. "Yeah, Philip Morris sells cigarettes," he said, "but they also help prevent children from smok­ing."

As various legal restrictions have been placed on cigarette advertising and sponsorships, to­bacco companies have shifted their marketing budgets to the retail point of purchase, as well as

J to promotions in bars and clubs where they en­roll young adults for direct-mail discount offers

) and other gifts. The ubiquitous bar promotions are not mentioned in the Philip Morris recruit­ment brochure.

To reach its youthful consumers, then, Philip .. Morris USA has stepped up its recruitment on

college campuses, cultivating ties with.35 univer­sities across the country. The University of Ala­bama has the dubious distinction of being the sole institution of higher learning in our state which has put out the welcome mat for a tobacco company to recruit its students.

Although the UA administration has thus far declined to reveal the full nature and extent of its dealings with the maker of Marlboro, the effort to prevent one of its own professors from gathering information on the way the tobacco industry at­tracts students is a clear violation of academic freedom. If university administrators intend to lend their support to Gov. Bob Riley's initiatives aimed at reducing the high cost of health care and preventing disease, then playing up to ciga­rette company recruiters ls antithetical to this mission.

In addition to receptions and presentations in the College of Communications, Philip Morris

1 USA has gained access to classes at the CuJ­vershouse College of Commerce and Business Administration and has addressed student

At the University of Alabama, the medical school is entrusted with protecting public health, while the business and communications colleges appear to be protecting the health of cigarette companies. Perhaps I am too naive. But 4.0 ye~s after the surgeon general's report, it's not hard to see why we have failed to end the smoking pan­demic.

Make: . Gradeskey

to bright future ► From Page 18

opportunities you have been given." Those were, and are, some of the messages I took from my mom and tried to in­corporate as a part of me. She always emphasized the impor-

' tance of education: She knew good grades were the key to a brighter future. She had high ex­pectations, and we knew that anything less than a "B" was un­acceptable. We also knew ifwe

' were capable of bringing home "A's," we had better land the "A." My mom backed up her words with her actions. She

1 worked two jobs most of my life, so my brothers and sisters would have those things and those opportunities we needed. Thank you, Mom.

To my teammates: Guys, it's been a wild ride. I know the bond we share will never be bro­ken, no matter how far the dis­tance. between us. I can't imag­ine a better group of friends to spend my college days with. I wish you all the best in life after football.

To my coaches back at Jess Lanier High School and at the University of Alabama: Thank you for the football skills you taught me and for giving me a chance to hone them on both the practice fields and in the ·game arena. I'd also like to thank the staff of the athletic department at UA for its sup­port, encouragement and will­ingness to assist us in all of our

WAITING: Issue never made it to 'front burner' ► From Page 18

situations of these families and have tried to meet their needs. Simply put, this issue never made it to the front burner until the lawsuit moved forward and nundl'eds of families and advo-

Philip Morris USA recruiters will return to the University of Alabama Ferguson Student Center on Tuesday.

endeavors as student-athletes -always expecting our personal best.

One of the things I always tried to emphasize to the high school recruits during their campus visits was the need to take care of the academic side of their lives as student-athletes. As student-athletes on scholarship, we've been given a wonderful opportunity to earn an educa­tion. It's vital we don't waste it. If you want to succeed as a student-athlete - not just on the football field or on the court - but in the classroom, the UA staff Will do its best to help you achieve your academic goals. But, you have to want it and dedicate yourself to it. Set aca­demic, as well as athletic, goals.

I had a goal to graduate within four years, and r earned my management degree with six months to spare. We all have different goals and different abi­lities, but we can all do our best. The university has invested mil ­lions of dollars in the Paul W. Bryant Academic Center, which was available to me at the end of my college career. I know it stands as a symbol of commit-

--cates brought the issue to the forefront.

The legal argument King wants to test would be better applied to some other case, one not causing such a dire impact for our most needy citizens. King's strategy will be sure to prolong the case for years before any resolution is reached.

King and the governor have it in their power to assure that people on waiting lists will no longer t/e ignored. It is not

ment to all Tide athletes, now and in the future, that they will have every opportunity to suc­ceed academically if they make that a priority in their lives. The support is there if each student­athlete commits to that success.

To my teachers back in Besse­mer and to the faculty at the University of Alabama, thank you for your high expectations and for the encouragement You gave to me and my fellow stu­dents.on a daily basis. Teachers have one of the toughest jobs, and I thank them for all they are doing for the next generation of leaders of our state and nation.

You hear a lot about what's wrong with young people today, and we sometimes focus on the problems in college sports rather than successes. I am grateful the University of Ala­bama and many other organiza­tions look for success stories and honor accomplishments and don't solely focus on win­ning or losing a ballgame. Don't get me wrong; I love to win. I am . energized by athletic competi­tion. But I know when the game is over, making the grade and making a difference in the lives of others are the ultimate bles­sings.

DeMeco Ryans was awarded the NCAA's Top Vlll Award, recog­nizing outstanding achievement in athletics, scholarship and community service that is given each year to only eight student­athletes nationwide. Ryans is presently training in anticipa­tion of April's NFL draft. Follow Ryans on his Web site at www.demecoryans.net

enough for Gov. Bob Riley and King to promise they will "try" to fund these programs in future years. Changes in leadership oc­cur, and the state of the econ­omy varies. _

The governor and attorney general must prioritize the pro­vision of needed services to peo­ple with disabilities. They must ensure that vulnerable people will receive the services they de­serve as Alabama citizens.

In the .o:,eanti.me, people wait.

UAE: A naval hub for our operations in Iraq ► From Page 18

countries to recognize the Tali­ban government of Afghanistan as legitimate, and it opposes the supposed pro-Israel tilt of U.S. foreign policy. Based solely on this information, the situation sounds dire. But it fails to reveal the entire story.

AP

The Bush administration has noted accurately that the UAE is a key ally since 9/11 in the U.S.­led war on terrorism. It is a naval hub for our operations in Iraq, and it was the first Middle Eastern country to join the U.S.­sponsored Container Security Initiative and Megaports Initia­tive, which are designed to se­cure the global supply chain against weapons of mass de­struction proliferation. The UAE may not rise to the level of a re­sponsible trading partner such as Great Britain, but the situa­tion is not as threatening as some would suggest. In a time of Middle Eastern turmoil, the UAE has worked to engage the United States while other na­tions have taken increasingly hard-line positions and pro­moted extremists into positions of power. We need mote of the former and less of the latter.

Workers at the Tloga Marine Terminal In Philadelphia say business shouldn't be affected by a United Arab Emirates­based group's plans to buy a stake In their company.

Red flags Nevertheless, the Dubai deal

raises a number of red flags in a policy process that should con­cern our lawmakers. The GFIDS is composed of the secretaries of state, treasury, defense abd · homeland security, among oth­ers. Under an amendment passed in 1993, the committee is required to conduct an addi­tional investigation into matters of foreign investment where the acquiring firm is controlled by or acting on behalf of a foreign government or if the acquisition would affect our national secu­rity. The Dubai deal appears to rise to this level, yet media re­ports note that key administra­tion officials were unable to ex­plain why the additional investigation did not occur. Equally troubling is that secre­taries John Snow, Condoleezza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld and Mi­chael Chertoff were reported as unaware of the deal until many days after it had been approved. It is common practice for rep­resentatives of department sec­retaries to represent them at

CFIUS meetings, but it is alarm­ing that a deal of this signifi­cance went unmentioned to the individuals who actually serve on the committee. In the post­Katrina environment, this does not classify as a confidence­building measure.

Given this, is not unreason­able for members of Congress to want an additional investigation. As South Carolina Sen. Lindsay Graham noted, "This ptocess has been flawed from the begin­ning, and it needs to be fixed." Even Colin Powell has argued that someone should have rec­ognized the political implica­tions of the deal and engaged in the proper briefings. Some in Congress have expressed con­cern that a delay in the deal might damage our strategic partnership with UAE, but a more astute observation might be that decision-makers in the UAE can 1earn more about the democratic process in America and bow our system of govern­ment respects the co-equal branches of power.

At this point, it is not clear whether the UAE deal should occur. In the weeks to come, our officials must avoid recalci­trance for its own sake. A more thorough 45-day investigation will provide time to gain a

broader understanding of the is­sue. President Bush has pledged his first-ever veto of any action blocking the deal, but a wiser strategy would be to re-examine the facts at hand and re-assess the situation following the investigation. If investigations reveal evidence that the acquisi­tion would harm our national security, the deal must be op­posed. If no such evidence is found, then the Dubai deal likely will be on par with many of our other ports, which are con­trolled by companies based in China and Singapore. If the deal goesthrough,Americansshould take comfort in the fact that Customs authorities and the C9ast Guard (all under the aegis of the Department of Homeland Security), will remain responsi­ble for the security of our ports and the trade that traffics through them. On the security front, little changes.

Reasonable people may dis­agree on the implications of the Dubai deal, but our leaders must ensure that decisions are based on a thorough investiga­tion and in-depth understand­ing of the measures in place to secure the global supply chain and our U.S. ports. Anything less is a disservice to the people of the United States.

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